From this promising start Tom went on to build a third pig shed in 2009, bringing Spring Farm’s complement to 2,000 pigs. It was during this time that Tom noticed that the curtains he had installed on his first two pig sheds were failing, and after shopping around discovered that the conventional offering for pig shed curtains was either unsuitable or overpriced.
With that in mind, Tom went on to design his own curtain system. Visiting farmers were impressed by his set-up, and he soon found himself receiving requests to take his new curtains to other farms. In 2010 Tom’s new company, Spring Farm Systems, received its first official order. By 2012 the number of orders coming in made the business a full-time concern, installing 12 sets of curtains while also branching out into installing pig pens.
Today Spring Farm Systems has installed over 25,000 feet across the country, and Tom is also helping other farmers with advice on planning and building, with agricultural professionals coming from as far afield as Canada and Korea to see his techniques.